across

1 of 3

preposition

ə-ˈkrȯs How to pronounce across (audio)
 chiefly dialectal  -ˈkrȯst
1
a
: from one side to the opposite side of : over, through
swam across the river
b
: on the opposite side of
lives across the street from us
2
: so as to intersect or pass through at an angle
sawed across the grain of the wood
3
: so as to find or meet
Researchers have come across important new evidence.
4
a
: throughout
… obvious interest across the nation.Robert Goralski
b
: so as to include or take into consideration all classes or categories

across

2 of 3

adverb

1
: in a position reaching from one side to the other : crosswise
cut the potato across into thin slices
2
: to or on the opposite side
The stream was small enough to jump across.
3
: so as to be understandable, acceptable, or successful
trying to get an argument across

across

3 of 3

adjective

: being in a crossed position
stood with her arms across

Examples of across in a Sentence

Preposition We took a ferry across the river. We saw them walking across the street. She reached across the table to shake his hand. They traveled back and forth across the border. Airplanes flew across the sky above us. He was seated across the table from me. The accident happened just across the state line. A smile spread across her face. Looking out across the ocean, he saw land. The sun's light spread across the mountains. Adverb The streams are small enough to jump across. They walked across to the other side of the street. They reached across and shook each other's hand. At its widest point, the pond measures 150 feet across. I saw them crossing the street and I waited until they were safely across.
Recent Examples on the Web
Preposition
Since then, legislators across the country have begun to discuss the future of IVF. USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 We were immediately taken by Fremantle’s reach, across film and TV, and their deep faith in exceptional talent. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 But after decades in which power was readily available, regulators and utility executives across the country generally are not empowered to prioritize which projects get connected. Evan Halper, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 Downtown malls across the country have been struggling in recent years amid the rise in online shopping. Theresa Clift, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 Last Trump opponent gives challenge, not endorsement NEW YORK -- Nikki Haley suspended her presidential campaign on Wednesday after being soundly defeated across the country on Super Tuesday, leaving Donald Trump as the last remaining major candidate for the 2024 Republican nomination. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2024 In brown or rusty orange, a curly-tail grub becomes a crayfish when slowly hopped across the bottom. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 7 Mar. 2024 As other doctors across the country know, these types of stories are becoming increasingly common in health care. Rob Davidson, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 We are honored to have him as a part of this Soho Sessions — and particularly for a cause like Music Will that enables children across the United States to have greater access to music education in their schools. Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024
Adverb
The asteroid, about 525 feet across, orbits a larger asteroid, called Didymos, that’s about half a mile across. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 The body of an armed anemone can reach about 8 inches across and its tentacles can reach almost 20 inches long, the scientists said. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2024 Matthew's got a very interesting way of getting his point across. Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 23 Feb. 2024 The lake is about 6 miles long, 3 miles across and is deep enough to kayak on, McClatchy News reported. Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 Ice was packed 8 to 12 inches thick along the length of the city when hundreds flocked to the riverfront to attempt the journey across. Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 19 Jan. 2024 If the gender binary melts away, if heterosexuality is no longer the default assumption, if parasites enter the building and dismantle the tenants, something unspeakable will skitter across—and that is the point of any erotic effusion worth pursuing. Becca Rothfeld, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024 At some point, something tossed Borisov, roughly a kilometer across, out of its system. Theo Nicitopoulos, Discover Magazine, 17 Feb. 2024 The rings are about 300 feet deep and half a mile across. Kae Lani Palmisano, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Adjective
From former Housewives including Dorinda Medley and Sonja Morgan, to Shanna Moakler and Jordyn Woods, stars from across industries have dabbled on the adult-only site. Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 27 Aug. 2023 This is a hairstyle that was actually made for thinner, straight hair like Hailey’s, as the even-across cut keeps the hair from looking thinner and the straight hair looks sleek and simple. Sarah Boyd, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2023 In some models, the center console can be flipped back to create a jump seat between the driver and passenger, similar to a three-across bench in some full-size pickup trucks. Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 20 Jan. 2023 Most wooden stools are deemed uncomfortable due to their flat seat and straight-across backrest, but this stool puts comfort first with a slight curve in the seat and backrest. Addie Morton, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Jan. 2023 Since the early days of the shale revolution more than a decade ago, fracking operators have relied on mined sand that’s delivered to their sites by truck - across distances as long as 100 miles. Dallas News, 10 July 2022 According to astronomers who captured this image, the comet's tail was several times longer at this point than Earth is across. Erika K. Carlson, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2019 This is the kind of self-deprecation Stokes is notorious for — a defining feature, as much or more so than her slick, straight-across bangs that evoke Reality Bites-era Janeane Garofalo. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2022 The narrative quickly shatters, moving backwards and forwards across generations—spanning multiple family tragedies, all involving the fjord and the house that Signe still lives in. Alex Shephard, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'across.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Preposition

derivative of across entry 2

Adverb

Middle English a-croiz, a-cros "in the shape of a cross, in a crossed position, from one side to another," borrowed from Anglo-French en croiz (from en "in, on"—going back to Latin in— + croiz "cross," going back to Latin cruc-, crux) with assimilation of Anglo-French croiz to cros cross entry 1 and en to a- a- entry 1 — more at in entry 1

Adjective

derivative of across entry 2

First Known Use

Preposition

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1576, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of across was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near across

Cite this Entry

“Across.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/across. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

across

1 of 2 adverb
1
: from one side to the other
boards sawed directly across
2
: to or on the opposite side
got across in a boat
3
: so as to be understandable or successful
get the message across

across

2 of 2 preposition
1
: to or on the opposite side of
across the street
2
: so as to cross or pass at an angle
lay one stick across another

More from Merriam-Webster on across

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!